SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Coronavirus has killed another South Dakota citizen, increasing the number of state deaths to 11 as a known case of 2,200, the state Department of Health reported Sunday, April 26

The recently reported death was a man in his 50s in Minnehaha County. The country’s public health officials regularly refuse to provide additional information about those diagnosed with coronavirus, including those who have died due to it, citing privacy concerns.

South Dakota has 2,212 cases of coronavirus, although more than half of those known to be infected with the virus have recovered.

Known cases are cases that are found through testing and do not always indicate how much the virus has spread in the state.

Testing is only done on those who show coronavirus symptoms. This virus is also known to be spread by those who carry it but show no symptoms whatsoever. State officials say they hope that up to 70 percent of South Da’wah finally catches COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by coronavirus. That’s around 600,000 people.

Sixty-four South Dakot were in the hospital because of the virus, more than half of all being treated at the hospital. The number of hospitalizations nearly doubled in the past week, to 135.

Nine out of 10 cases in the state are in the districts of Minnehaha and Lincoln, home to Sioux Falls. Of the 65 new cases reported on Sunday, 61 are in the districts of Minnehaha and Lincoln alone.

The Smithfield Foods meat processing factory, which has 1,000 cases related to outbreaks among its workers, is also located in Sioux Falls.

The factory, which is responsible for 5% of the national pork supply, remains closed while workers and close contacts are tested and the company refills the facility and improves safety practices to prevent other outbreaks.

Virginia-based Smithfield issued a statement late Friday pushing back on news coverage that it claimed had “mismarked” the company and its response to the virus, including at the Sioux Falls plant.

The company said some had claimed the outbreak of the COVID-19 case began at its processing plant. This correctly shows that the first case in Sioux Falls was reported on March 15, with the first case known at the factory being reported more than a week later.

“Unfortunately, the break-out attribution for ‘Smithfield employees’ only serves to stigmatize them in the community. That’s wrong,” the company said.

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